Research Guides: International Transgender Day of Visibility: Home

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Subjects: Black Studies, Cultural Studies, French Studies, Gender Studies, Indigenous Studies, Languages, Literatures and Cultures

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Derya Hodge, MA

Welcome

The International Transgender Day of Visibility was established in 2009 by activist Rachael Crandall to highlight the achievements of trans people and their positive contributions to their communities, as well as to bring to attention the ongoing discrimination and violence that trans people continue to face around the world. The International TDOV takes place every year on Mar. 31st.

This guide is intended to primarily provide library and community resources to the transgender community at Queen's, with a secondary goal of educating cisgender Queen's students, staff, and faculty, about the experiences of trans people in Canada and around the world by providing a selection of fiction and non-fiction books from across all libraries at Queen's as well as links to important web resources.

More books and resources by transgender, non-binary, and two-spirit authors at Queen's University Library, can be found in our featured Omni Collection for the International Transgender Day of Visibility, which features non-fiction titles, novels, journals, and comics. Additionally, more trans-related books, databases, web resources, and reference works can be found on Queen's Gender Studies research guide.

Trans Basics

Trans Bodies, Trans Selves by Laura Erickson-Schroth (Editor)
Call Number: E-Book, Stauffer HQ 77.9 .T714 2014
Trans Bodies, Trans Selves is a revolutionary resource - a comprehensive, reader-friendly guide for transgender people, with each chapter written by transgender or genderqueer authors. Inspired by Our Bodies, Ourselves, the classic and powerful compendium written for and by women, Trans Bodies, Trans Selves is widely accessible to the transgender population, providing authoritative information in an inclusive and respectful way and representing the collective knowledge base of dozens of influential experts. Each chapter takes the reader through an important transgender issue, such as race, religion, employment, medical and surgical transition, mental health topics, relationships, sexuality, parenthood, arts and culture, and many more. Anonymous quotes and testimonials from transgender people who have been surveyed about their experiences are woven throughout, adding compelling, personal voices to every page. In this unique way, hundreds of viewpoints from throughout the community have united to create this strong and pioneering book. It is a welcoming place for transgender and gender-questioning people, their partners and families, students, professors, guidance counselors, and others to look for up-to-date information on transgender life.

The Trans Language Primer
"A guide to the language of gender, attraction, and acceptance:" The Trans Language Primer provides definitions for over 200 trans-related terms that trans people around the world use to describe themselves and their experiences.
Purdue OWL's Style Guide to Gendered Pronouns and the Singular "They"
From the same university that created one of the most popular online resources for formatting citations comes a useful guide to understanding the history and proper usage of gender-neutral pronouns in English to ensure authors can write with gender-inclusive language and use preferred pronouns properly in writing and speech.

Kingston Trans Organizations & Resources

TransFamily Kingston
TransFamily Kingston, founded by local trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse Kingstonians in 2012, is a grassroots organization dedicated to building community and providing resources and support for trans and gender diverse people in the Kingston area. Their website provides helpful links to local pride events, healthcare resources, and to other trans organizations beyond Kingston.
Queen's Student Wellness Services
Student Wellness Services provides transgender care, including "hormone therapy initiation, surgical referrals, community resource navigation, and gender-specific counseling" for current students. Students who fill out a transcare intake form can expect to be contacted within five business days for appointment options.
Yellow House Student Centre for Equity and Inclusion
With two locations on campus, the Yellow House provides inclusive and empowering programming for QTBIPOC communities at Queen's, as well as space for student-led groups to meet, as well as advisors and counsellors to help connect students with relevant resources on campus.

Trans Archives

The ArQuives: Canada's LGBTQ2+ Archives
Located, the ArQuives is the only national archives dedicated to preserving the memories and records of queer life in Canada. Originally founded in 1973 as the "Canadian Gay Liberation Movement Archives," the organization went through several other official names over the years, including the "Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives" before settling on its current name in 2018, which reflects its commitment to decolonization as well as its mandate to collect materials from queer, bisexual, and trans Canadians.
Digital Transgender Archive
Based at Northwestern University in Boston, Massachusetts, the Digital Transgender Archive was made publically available in 2016, and is intended to connect users with trans-related archival records located in universities, public libraries, private collections, and in archives around the world.
University of Victoria Transgender Archives
Launched in 2011, the University of Victoria Transgender Archives is one of the largest trans-focused archives in Canada. Many of the items in their collections have been digitized and are available on their website, including every issue of the FTM Newsletter, created by Lou Sullivan in 1987, all issues of the Transgender Tapestry magazine, and video interviews from the Trans Activism Oral History Project.